[Ameline]

For years I was stuck in the cycle of eating too little or almost starving and then overeating, while my weight fluctuated wildly and was steadily creeping higher and higher. I did anything I could think of to stop the overeating. I tried to look for triggers and found no pattern, I tried eating plans only to get back to where I started. Then, one day, three months back, I realized something. I needed to have a look at the restrictive part of the cycle because that is the problem. I dedicated myself to eat enough, everytime I'm hungry and as much as I need to and not add external limitations. The urge to overeat was gone like a charm. I even lost a few pounds - I know it's not much in 3 months, but considering that my weight is stable and not all over the place it kind of feels good. I need to lose some more weight, though.

That is why I'm considering going on a diet. But I'm scared. The cycle of extreme control and letting go completely is deep in my brain and as I realized, spread over my whole life, from sleep patterns to working habits. Needless to say, balancing it there is now also a goal. I'm afraid that if I go on a diet now, I may end up right where I was. I remember that several times before I tried to be reasonable about eating and follow a proper eating plan in order to lose weight, only to unknowingly slide into severe restrictions again that were followed by overeating. But how am I supposed to lose weight?

[kaliope]

hi ameline
I haven't really had a problem with this per se though I have been over weight all my life. then I lost 60 pounds, that started with meds and then the fact that I just stopped eating but once a day. I didn't consciously do it, it was just my lifestyle. a few months back, for reasons unknown, maybe a new med, I started binge eating and put on seven pounds in two months. I have never eaten so much. people even noticed and commented. it was non stop eating, tons of food. I tried to stop but couldn't. i just seemed compelled to eat every hour. so i downloaded a calorie counting app on my phone. i started at 1200 calories a day but found that wasn't enough so i upped it to 1600. and i changed my diet to low calorie foods. switched out to fake sugar. yogurt instead of ice cream. i try not to eat anything over 250 calories so i get to eat about 8 things a day. pudding cups are only 60. chips 150. i still eat all my junk, i just don't gorge on it anymore. so i quickly lost the weight i had gained. i have decided to stick with it to see if i can lose more. i realize now that i am counting calories i must have been eating on avg 3 thousand calories a day. welcome to psych central. you will find we have several forums where you can post about your concerns and receive feedback from other members. you will get a lot of support here. again, welcome

[Standup2me]

Originally Posted by kaliope

hi ameline
I haven't really had a problem with this per se though I have been over weight all my life. then I lost 60 pounds, that started with meds and then the fact that I just stopped eating but once a day. I didn't consciously do it, it was just my lifestyle. a few months back, for reasons unknown, maybe a new med, I started binge eating and put on seven pounds in two months. I have never eaten so much. people even noticed and commented. it was non stop eating, tons of food. I tried to stop but couldn't. i just seemed compelled to eat every hour. so i downloaded a calorie counting app on my phone. i started at 1200 calories a day but found that wasn't enough so i upped it to 1600. and i changed my diet to low calorie foods. switched out to fake sugar. yogurt instead of ice cream. i try not to eat anything over 250 calories so i get to eat about 8 things a day. pudding cups are only 60. chips 150. i still eat all my junk, i just don't gorge on it anymore. so i quickly lost the weight i had gained. i have decided to stick with it to see if i can lose more. i realize now that i am counting calories i must have been eating on avg 3 thousand calories a day. welcome to psych central. you will find we have several forums where you can post about your concerns and receive feedback from other members. you will get a lot of support here. again, welcome

Other than junk food, were there foods that you specifically needed to get rid of? I find that certain foods will trigger other foods.

[kaliope]

Not really. I just found that I ate really high calorie versions of foods that had less calorie versions available. Like I always bought the highest calorie version of Starbucks coffee there was when I could choose another flavor that was a couple hundred calories lighter. Regular mayonnaise is 90 cal but if you get the olive oil version it is only 35 cal. Bread is like 110 cal a slice but there is a Sara Lee bread that is 45 cal a sliceand I eat a lot of sandwiches because I'm too lazy to cook.I was eating ice cream every night now I eat yogurt instead. So I'm doing the same things I was doing before I'm just eating healthier versions with less calories.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Standup2me]

I've doing that too, but some low calorie food has just substituted fat for sugar.
Some fat free bottled salad dressings have pretty much the same calories, but are so sweet

[PianogirlPlays]

I find food confusing. You want yet can't really have. You are hungry but the timing is bad. Your body can't tolerate what you want. The pain is so great you want comfort.